Abstract:

There is provided a proximity to a target, detection system, including a
laser transmitter for transmitting a beam of radiation at a predetermined
wavelength temporal and spatial shape, towards a target from which the
proximity is to be determined, a small dimensions body having an opening
for admitting radiation reflected from the target, the body housing a
receiver for receiving the reflected beam radiation from the target and
directing it towards a detector in the body for producing a signal. The
detector includes a detection logic circuit allowing detection of
reflected radiation for producing an output signal when the body is at a
predetermined range from the target and in consideration of the temporal
or spatial relative strength of the signal produced by the detected
radiation of the reflected beam. A method for detecting the proximity of
a body to a radiation-reflecting surface of a target, is also provided.

Claims:

1. A proximity to a target, detection system, comprising:a laser
transmitter for transmitting a beam of radiation at a predetermined
wavelength temporal and spatial shape, towards a target from which the
proximity is to be determined;a small dimensions body having an opening
for admitting radiation reflected from said target;said body housing a
receiver for receiving the reflected beam radiation from the target and
directing it towards at least one detector in the body for producing a
signal,said detector includes a detection logic circuit allowing
detection of reflected radiation for producing an output signal when the
body is at a predetermined range from said target and in consideration of
the temporal or spatial relative strength of the signal produced by the
detected radiation of the reflected beam.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitter further
comprises beam shaping optics and a radiation generator for forming a
predetermined spatial shape at the target.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transmitter forms a beam
having a diameter of between 1 to 20 cm and a negligible divergence at a
distance of 1000-2000 m.

4. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transmitter forms a beam
having a radiation pattern and negligible divergence at a distance of
1000-2000 m.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitter transmits
modulated radiation or a pulsed laser radiation.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiver includes beam
converging optics and single or multiple detectors at the focal plane of
the converging beam.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver includes a
filter for blocking radiation which differ from the laser wavelength, for
filtering out noise radiation.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are provided multiple
detectors and said detectors enable the presetting of a range to the
target at which an output signal is to be formed by selecting the
actuating detectors in the vector of multiple detectors.

9. A method for detecting the proximity of a body to a
radiation-reflecting surface of a target, comprising:providing a
proximity detection unit responsive to an external laser transmitter for
transmitting a beam of radiation at a predetermined wavelength temporal
and spatial shape, towards a target, said unit having at least one
receiver for receiving reflected beam radiation from the target and
directing it towards at least one detector and a detection logic for
producing an output signal;measuring the range between said body and the
target, andforming an output signal when the unit is at a predetermined
range from said target in consideration of the relative temporal or
spatial strength of the signal produced by the detected radiation of the
reflected beam.

10. A proximity to a target unit for use with the system of claim 1,
comprising:a body having small dimensions;at least one receiver mounted
in said body for receiving reflected beam radiation from the target and
directing it towards at least one detector in the body for producing a
signal, anda detection logic circuit allowing detection of reflected
radiation and producing an output signal when the body is at a
predetermined range from said target and in consideration of the temporal
or spatial relative strength of the signal produced by the detected
radiation of the reflected beam.

11. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transmitter forms a beam
having a diameter of between 1 to 20 cm using a zoom lens as the beam
shaping optics.

12. A proximity to a target detection system comprising an external laser
transmitter for transmitting a beam of radiation at a predetermined
wavelength, spatial and temporal shapes, towards a target; at least one
receiver for receiving reflected beam radiation from the target and
directing it towards a detector for producing a signal, and detection
logic means allowing effective detection of said reflected radiation only
when the system is at a predetermined range from said target allowing
detonation of the projectile for the generation of one or more of the
following materials:a) lethal spread of particles;b) non-lethal spread of
rubber particles;c) paint spread for identification of human targets
after they leave their position, and/ord) non-lethal gas spread at the
target proximity.

Description:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001]The present invention relates to optical range sensing devices,
systems and methods for small size bodies having a small internal volume
that cannot accommodate both an optical transmitter and receiver therein.
More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a system and
method for the detection of the position of a body in proximity to a
light-reflecting surface, when the transmitter is external and the
receiver is in the body itself such as a projectile, autonomic vehicle or
other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002]The exact positioning of a body such as a projectile or an autonomic
vehicle relative to an optically reflecting or partly reflecting surface
is of major importance for determining the timing of detonation and for
optimizing its performance when actuated.

[0003]Common methods for proximity detection utilize optical time of
flight range finders, located in a projectile head, where repetitively
pulsed laser radiation, emitted from the transmitter, located in the
projectile head, impinges on a solid target surface. Travel time is
measured by a receiver containing fast detectors located in the
projectile head, measuring the reflection time of arrival and calculating
the distance. These methods are suitable for distances greater than a few
meters, and their accuracy is in the range of about one meter. When the
sought-after distances are in the range of tens of centimeters to a few
meters, these methods reach their capability limit, requiring a
multiplicity of very short pulses having short rise times, thereby the
cost of such systems is greatly increased, making this solution expensive
and elaborate. The volume required to host the transmitter and receiver,
as well as their energy source is large and cannot be placed in very
small dimension projectiles, such as bullets, having diameters of 1 to 2
cm and about the same length.

[0004]Such bodies are referred to hereinafter as "small size bodies having
small internal volume". An optical range detector suitable for small
dimension bodies should have the following properties:

[0005]1) resolution capability of a range of a few centimeters;

[0006]2) the capability to be contained in the body;

[0007]3) unaffected by sunlight or stray light;

[0008]4) able to operate independently without any communication, wire or
wireless, to the body launching station, and

[0009]5) have a pre-set range for actuation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010]It is a broad object of the present invention to provide an optical
proximity detector unit, system and method for use in small dimension
bodies such as projectiles, autonomic vehicles or other bodies having the
required properties.

[0011]It is a further object of the present invention to provide devices
and methods for the detection of the position and distance of a body
relative to a solid surface or another reflecting surface in close
proximity, namely, in a range of several tens of centimeters to a few
meters.

[0012]In accordance with the present invention, there is therefore
provided a proximity to a target, detection system, comprising a laser
transmitter for transmitting a beam of radiation at a predetermined
wavelength temporal and spatial shape, towards a target from which the
proximity is to be determined, a small dimensions body having an opening
for admitting radiation reflected from said target, said body housing a
receiver for receiving the reflected beam radiation from the target and
directing it towards at least one detector in the body for producing a
signal, said detector includes a detection logic circuit allowing
detection of reflected radiation for producing an output signal when the
body is at a predetermined range from said target and in consideration of
the temporal or spatial relative strength of the signal produced by the
detected radiation of the reflected beam.

[0013]The invention further provides a method for detecting the proximity
of a body to a radiation-reflecting surface of a target, comprising
providing a proximity detection unit responsive to an external laser
transmitter for transmitting a beam of radiation at a predetermined
wavelength temporal and spatial shape, towards a target, said unit having
at least one receiver for receiving reflected beam radiation from the
target and directing it towards at least one detector and a detection
logic for producing an output signal, measuring the range between said
body and the target, and forming an output signal when the unit is at a
predetermined range from said target in consideration of the relative
temporal or spatial strength of the signal produced by the detected
radiation of the reflected beam.

[0014]In accordance with the present invention, there is therefore further
provided a proximity detection system, comprising an external laser
transmitter, for transmitting a beam of radiation at a predetermined
wavelength, spatial and temporal shapes, towards a target; at least one
receiver for receiving reflected beam radiation from the target and
directing it towards a detector for producing a signal, and detection
logic means allowing effective detection of said reflected radiation only
when the unit is at a predetermined range from said target, allowing
detonation of the projectile at the predetermined range for the
generation of one or more of the following materials:

[0015]i. lethal spread of particles;

[0016]ii. non-lethal spread of rubber particles;

[0017]iii. paint spread for identification of human targets, and/or

[0018]iv. non-lethal gas spread at the target proximity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019]The invention will now be described in connection with certain
preferred embodiments with reference to the following illustrative
figures, so that it may be more fully understood.

[0020]With specific reference now to the figures in detail, it is stressed
that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of
illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present
invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is
believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the
principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no
attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more
detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the
invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to
those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be
embodied in practice.

[0021]In the drawings:

[0022]FIG. 1A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a single external
transmitter transmitting an optical beam on a target and a single
receiver module inside the body, according to the present invention;

[0029]FIG. 5A is a schematic cross-sectional view of an external laser
transmitter;

[0030]FIG. 5B is a front view of the target illustrated in FIG. 4A, and

[0031]FIGS. 6A and 6B are block diagrams of the body's receiver detection
logics.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032]FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an external transmitter 2, e.g., a laser
transmitter, consisting of, for example, a laser 4, emitting repetitive
pulse or modulated radiation of 1060 nm wavelength, via a beam shaping
optics 6, e.g., a zoom telescope, which follows a path 8, impinging on a
reflecting surface of a target 10, forming on the target 10 a spatial
shape of a spot 12, e.g., a circle of a diameter D, e.g., a diameter of
1-20 cm. The reflected radiation follows a path 14 and is received by at
least one receiver 16 embedded in the housing of a body 18. The radiation
entering the housing of the body 18 through an opening 20, allows the
radiation to enter at a wide angle α. After entering, the radiation
passes through a narrow band spectral filter 24, e.g., a filter of a few
nm of a wavelength, to an optical condenser 26, e.g. a lens, and to a
detector 28, e.g., a photodiode. The filter 24 advantageously reduces
solar disturbances in the spectral range to which the detector 28 is
sensitive. The laser beam reflected from the sport 12 of the target 10 is
detected by detector 28, and shows intensity variation of the detected
signal according to the light collected by the optics from angle α.
The intensity variation has two different regions of
target-to-detector-distance that behave differently, as depicted in FIG.
2. At a large distance, where the spot 12 assumes a small part of angle
α, the collected light energy is inversely proportional to the
distance squared between target 10 and the detector 28. This is depicted
in FIG. 2 as region 30. When a distance R between target and detector is
selected to be the diameter D of spot 12 divided by the angle α,
the spot 12 fills the whole angle α and the amount of collected
radiation is at its maximum, depicted at the peak 32 of the curve in FIG.
2. When the distance is shorter, the amount of collected radiation is
less and the collection angle α enables only a smaller part of the
radiation to be collected, as depicted by curve 34. Detection of the
predetermined distance is performed in two ways: a) by measuring the
relative intensity as a function time, while moving toward the target 10
and selecting the desired range, at ranges on the far side of curve 34
and, b) by detecting the peak 32 as the determination of the
predetermined range. The selection of angle α and the diameter D of
spot 12 are the two parameters that define the pre-selected action at a
range R. For example, 0.1 radians for the angle α and a spot 12 of
a size D=10 cm, will determine a range of R=100 cm. The transmitter 2
spot size D on the target 10 can be reached by the following methods: a)
constant diameter due to predetermined minimal beam divergence, b) by a
manual zoom lens serving as beam shaping optics 6 and, c) by automatic,
motor controlled zoom lens serving as beam shaping optics 6, adjusted
according to the range from the transmitter 2 to the target 10, performed
by conventional optical ranging techniques.

[0033]Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, there is illustrated an external
transmitter 2, a target 10 and a receiver 16, according to the present
invention. Radiation, e.g., light emitted from the laser transmitter 4,
consisting of, e.g., a repetitive pulse radiation of 1060 nm wavelength,
is passed via a beam shaping optics 6, and a radiation generator 36,
follows a path 8, impinges on the reflecting surface of target 10, and
forms a spatial shape, e.g., a grating-like spatial pattern 38, or any
other structured radiation pattern having a negligible divergence at a
distance of 300-400 m. The reflected radiation follows a path 14 and is
received by the receiver in the housing of body 18. The radiation
entering the housing of the body 18 through the opening 20 allows for the
entry of radiation at a wide angle α. After entering, the light
passes through a narrow band spectral filter 24, e.g., a filter of a few
nm of a wavelength, to an optical condenser 26 and to one or more
detectors 28, e.g., a pair, or a vector of, photodiodes. The filter 24
advantageously reduces solar disturbances in the spectral range to which
the detector 28 is sensitive. The laser beam 14, reflected from the
pattern 38 of the target 10, is detected by detector 28, and shows a
spatial intensity variation of the signal according to the radiation
collected in the opening 20 having a maximal angle α. The intensity
variation in the focal plane of condenser 26 exhibits the Fourier
transform of the pattern 38 and is described with reference to FIGS. 4A
and 4B.

[0034]The size of the pattern 38 on the target 10 can be attained by the
following methods: a) by a manual zoom lens serving as beam shaping
optics 6, and b) by an automatic, motor controlled zoom lens serving as
the beam shaping optics 6, adjusted according to the range from the
transmitter 2 to the target 10, performed by conventional optical ranging
techniques.

[0035]Seen in FIGS. 4A and 4B is the pattern 38, e.g., a grating-like
illumination having spacings 40. The Fourier transform of plane 42
appears on plane 44 on the detector 28, and, for the example of the
grating-like pattern, results in two strong illuminated points 46 and 48,
spaced by distance 50. The closer the plane 44 is to plane 42, the
smaller the distance 50 between the two points 46 and 48, is. By, e.g.,
using a pair of detectors at a fixed distance 50, one can actuate the
body 18 at a fixed range between planes 44 and 46, when the two detectors
obtain a signal. Using a vector of multiple detectors and measuring the
location of the peaks of radiation at points 46 and 48 can achieve the
same result, as well as being able to preset any range by the selection
of the actuating detectors in the vector of multiple detectors.

[0036]FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate the laser transmitter 2 having a
CW--Continuous Wave, modulated CW or QCW--Quasi-Continuous Wave pulsed
laser 4, that can be any laser, a diode or, e.g., Nd:YAG laser. Laser
pulsing or temporal modulation is used for noise reduction. Where an
electronic filter, which only passes through the pulsing signals at a
rate as determined by the pulser is installed in the detector circuits,
background noise is reduced. The radiation passes through a shaping
optics 6, e.g., a telescope, determining the light beam diameter and
further passes through structured radiation generator 36, e.g., a
holographic grating, to target 10, where pattern 38 is created. When, for
example, the diameter of the beam is 10 cm, its divergence at a
wavelength of 1.06 micrometers is approximately an angle of 10
micro-radians, giving a diffracted beam diameter of 13 cm at a distance
of 300 m and a diameter of 14 cm at a distance of 400 m. This difference
of 1 cm in diameter is practically negligible and within regular
tolerances of detector-to-target of about 8% of the range.

[0037]The detector 28 includes one of the two kinds of detection logics:
a) a logic circuit 52, allowing effective detection of reflected
radiation when the body 18 is at a predetermined range from the target 10
and in consideration of the relative temporal strength of the signal
produced by the detected radiation of the reflected beam, and b) a logic
circuit 54, allowing effective detection of reflected radiation when the
body 18 is at a predetermined range from the target 10 and in
consideration of the relative spatial strength of the signal produced by
the detected radiation of the reflected beam.

[0038]FIG. 6A illustrates a block diagram of detection logic circuit 52
located in the receiver 16, receiving reflected beam radiation from a
target and producing a signal in the detector 28. The detection logic
circuit 52 enables actuation at a preset range between the body 18 and
the target 10.

[0040]The detection logic circuit 54 includes a radiation-to-voltage
converter 66 for feeding corresponding voltage signals in each detector
to a voltage register 68, a peak voltage register 70 of each detector, a
comparator 72 for comparison with predetermined distance between
detectors, and an output signal actuator 74.

[0041]The laser transmitter 2, according to the present invention, can be
portable, hand-held, or mounted on a firearm, e.g., a rifle, in case body
18 is a projectile, or the like.

[0042]The detonation of the projectile need not necessarily be of a type
generating explosives, but may just as well generate one of the following
materials: a) lethal spread of particles; b) non-lethal spread of rubber
particles; c) paint spread for identification of human targets after they
leave their position, and/or d) non-lethal gas spread at the target
proximity.

[0043]It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is
not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrated embodiments and
that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms
without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof. The
present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as
illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being
indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing
description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of
equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.